Victorian MP Confirms Fire Service Continues to Enforce Mandatory Vaccination Despite Legal Ruling
‘Fire Rescue Victoria is the only fire service in Australia still enforcing mandatory vaccination,’ Bev McArthur said.
A claim from a Victorian parliamentarian suggests that over 50 Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters are currently unable to respond to emergencies due to a vaccine mandate.
Bev McArthur, the Liberal Member for Western Victoria, has expressed concerns about the state’s fire service still enforcing mandated vaccines.
McArthur criticized the minister for emergency services for failing to take action.
“Why are they such an outlier? It makes no medical sense. The last mandated dose was March 2022. It cannot be effective now. Nor does it apply to volunteers, who with the same vaccine status can work.”
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“I’ve received two COVID-19 vaccinations, a I eligible to apply?” the FAQ page states.
“No, FRV requires candidates to be fully vaccinated (boosted), which is three COVID-19 vaccinations,” the page indicates.”
The Liberal MP noted the Queensland Supreme Court has recently deemed vaccine mandates unlawful for frontline workers.
“The Court recognized that such mandates contradicted human rights legislation recognizing a person’s right not to be subjected to medical treatment without full, free, and informed consent,” she said.
“This vaccine mandate enforces an outdated dosage that is contrary to Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) clinical recommendations, and it is starkly without consideration to its own suppressed Risk Assessment only obtained through FOI.”
Further, Ms. McArthur noted volunteer firefighters have fallen by 998 members, from 52,807 to 51,807 in a year.
“Given this ruling, the firefighter shortage, and the fact that Victoria continues to be an outlier, when will the Minister step up and request that the FRV remove this discriminatory policy?” she asked.
Queensland Ruling
The Supreme Court of Queensland ruled that COVID-19 vaccine mandates on police officers and ambulance workers were unlawful under section 58 of the Human Rights Act on Feb. 27.
“I do not accept that the commissioner had either identified the human rights that might be affected by the decision or considered whether the decision would be compatible with human rights,” the judge said.
Further, the court found that the former Department of Health Director-General did not establish the COVID-19 vaccine mandate as a condition of employment for Queensland Ambulance Service staff.
Judge Martin ordered for both the police commissioner and director-general of Queensland Health to be restrained from taking any enforcement actions or disciplinary proceedings related to mandates.
The court declared the human resources policy concerning COVID-19 vaccine requirements ineffective.
“I have not held that the QPS Directions and the QAS Direction were invalid, rather I have held that they were unlawful,” the judge said.
The judge did not address the vaccine’s transmissibility or efficacy in the ruling.
What Are the ATAGI Guidelines?
The Australian government’s advisory group on vaccinations, ATAGI, gives the strongest vaccine recommendations to the elderly and severely compromised.
Only adults between 65 to 74 years or between 18 and 64 years who are severely compromised are recommended officially to take a COVID-19 vaccine every 12 months and consider a dose every six months based on risk assessment.
Adults over 75 years of age are recommended to take a COVID-19 vaccine every six months by the advisory group.
“Vaccination remains the most important measure to protect those at risk of severe disease from COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines are recommended every 6 to 12 months for older adults and adults with severe immunocompromise due to their ongoing risk of severe COVID-19,” ATAGI states.
Victorian MP Receiving Inquiries From Firefighters
In Parliament on March 21, Victorian Liberal South Eastern Metropolitan MP Ann-Marie Hermans said she is receiving inquiries from firefighters who want to return to work.
Ms. Hermans said she is seeking that the Minister for Emergency Services Anthony Carbines revoke the mandate on unvaccinated firefighters in Victoria immediately.
“Meanwhile, we have a Country Fire Authority with outdated and inadequate resources, and we also have firefighters unable to do their jobs because their resources have not been properly updated.
